Hi-Rez Studios, the developer behind Smite 2, has confirmed another round of layoffs this time affecting top-level leadership. In a notable shift from industry norms, this latest restructuring targets senior management, including the company’s president, rather than lower-level developers.
The news was confirmed by Alex Cantatore, executive producer at Hi-Rez, in response to a Reddit thread discussing layoffs. According to Cantatore, the studio’s board determined that there were too many executives for the current size of the company, following a series of workforce reductions over the past year. Here is a look at his statement confirming it from Reddit.
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byu/YeehawTexMex from discussion
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Among those affected are:
- Stewart Chisam, former President of Hi-Rez Studios
- Travis Brown, Executive Producer
- A manager known publicly as “Radar”
- Two additional senior leaders from the RallyHere division
This brings the total confirmed cuts from this round to at least five high-ranking individuals from the company.
A Pattern of Layoffs as Hi-Rez Refocuses on Smite 2
This is not the first time Hi-Rez has been forced to make staffing changes in recent months. In February 2025, the company reportedly let go of up to 70 employees, a move that coincided with its decision to scale back development on Paladins and Rogue Company in order to prioritize Smite 2. That wave of layoffs prompted significant backlash, and Chisam then still president deactivated his Twitter account shortly after.
Going further back, Hi-Rez also conducted layoffs in October 2024, indicating a year-long trend of downsizing across the company. With each round of layoffs, the studio has become leaner, and the recent removal of upper management appears to be the culmination of that strategy.
Smite 2 Development Remains On Track
Despite the leadership shake-up, Cantatore reassured fans that Smite 2’s development is not affected. The team remains committed to delivering new content, including their plan to release one to two new gods per week, as part of the game’s new seasonal content model.
Cantatore emphasized that the layoffs do not signal a change in company vision, and the studio is still “full steam ahead” on its mission to expand Smite 2 and deliver consistent updates to players.
Industry Layoffs Continue
Hi-Rez Studios is the latest in a growing list of game developers impacted by major layoffs this year. Other studios including People Can Fly, Playtonic, Codemasters, Microsoft’s gaming division, and Respawn Entertainment have all been affected in 2025, highlighting ongoing volatility in the industry.
While Smite 2 appears to be on stable footing for the moment, Hi-Rez’s executive-level cuts show that no part of a studio’s hierarchy is safe from market pressures and internal restructuring.
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